


The Fear of Falling Down a Rabbit Hole

by Snufflesw



Series: Writing Contest Entries [1]
Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Shinguji Korekiyo's cackle, Tanaguji, Tanaka Gundham is scared of heights
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-08
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-12 04:15:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29878938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snufflesw/pseuds/Snufflesw
Summary: Shinguji and Tanaka are sitting by an oak tree at the edge of the school when a bird suddenly falls from the tree. Tanaka makes it his quest to retrieve the bird to its mother by climbing up the tree. The only problem is how he's gonna get down...
Relationships: Shinguji Korekiyo/Tanaka Gundham
Series: Writing Contest Entries [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2196807
Kudos: 3





	The Fear of Falling Down a Rabbit Hole

**Author's Note:**

> Before reading:  
> There is no killing game but it’s still set in the canon universe. Korekiyo and Gundham are students at Hope’s Peak Academy but are in different classes. Gundham is in the 77th class while Korekiyo is in the 79th class. Korekiyo is therefore younger than Gundham by two years.
> 
> I use the Japanese word system, such as “Shinguji-SAN” and “Tanaka-SAN.” Referring to Gundham as Tanaka and Korekiyo as Shinguji. Which also makes me refer to the Four Dark Devas of Destruction as the “Four Heavenly Kings of Darkness and Gods of Destruction.” I also used Gundham’s Japanese translation of his talent “Super High School-Level Animal Breeding Committee Member.”
> 
> CW:  
> Korekiyo Shinguji (He/him)  
> Gundham Tanaka (He/him)  
> Four Dark Devas of Destruction (Four Heavenly Kings of Darkness and Gods of Destruction)  
> Mentions of Sonia Nevermind (She/her)  
> Talks about jumping (not in a death way, but I thought it would be a good idea to put a warning for that as well.)

The sun was shining brightly on the academy known as Hope’s Peak High School. Birds were chirping, flying amongst the windy sky and only a few clouds were present on the bright day. The warm wind flew through a large oak tree placed on a small hill at the edge of the school ground, making the many leaves rustle and start falling to the ground. Underneath the tree sat a couple from the academy. The Super High School-Level Anthropologist, Shinguji Korekiyo from the 79th class and the Super High School-Level Animal Breeding Committee Member, Tanaka Gundham from the 77th class. In between the two boys were four hamsters, who all belonged to Tanaka, also known as the Four Heavenly Kings of Darkness and Gods of Destruction.

On Tanaka’s shoulder slept the white and brown hamster, Jump-P and both boys swore that they could hear the hamster snore from time to time. Sun-D, the white and orange hamster with dark ears were snuggled into Tanaka’s scarf. Jumping onto Shinguji’s lap were the white and brown hamster Maga-Z. The difference between Maga-Z and Jum-P was the fact that Maga-Z had a chipped ear. Lastly, Tanaka was holding the big orange furball known as Cham-P. 

Shinguji studied his partner closely as Tanaka was talking about the hamsters and their many “adventures” together in the Demon Realm. He might’ve not really believed any of Tanaka’s stories but there was no way he’d ever say that to his face. 

How Shinguji and Tanaka came to be one of the many couples in the school were a mystery to the both of them. Shinguji confessed his feelings after Tanaka had agreed to a study session with the anthropologist and now the two will hold hands from time to time. That’s about everything. Although, Tanaka will believe Shinguji’s just with him so he can “find out his deepest secrets and overthrow him.” Despite Tanaka trying to keep his persona of being a powerful being, born from an angel and a demon, it’s those times when he doubts Shinguji’s love that Shinguji’s able to see the real emotions of Tanaka, and they’re beautiful according to the anthropologist. Everything about Tanaka was beautiful in the eyes of Shinguji.

As Maga-Z climbed up on Shinguji, taking advantage of his long dark locks in the process, both Tanaka and Shinguji studied him carefully. The hamster climbed atop of Shinguji’s hat, letting out something that sounded like a happy squeak as Tanaka chuckled at the sight.

“It seems as though Crimson Steel Elephant Maga-Z has taken a liking towards you, mortal”, he laughed as Shinguji’s eyes averted back towards his partner. “I’d take this action as a way for them to say that they’ve accepted you!”

“Accepted me, huh?” Shinguji replied as he watched Maga-Z hang from the front of his hat and squeaked when his eyes met the owner’s. Shinguji couldn’t help but smile through the mask at the sight of the creature. He held out one of his bandaged hands and let Maga-Z fall. He happily squeaked as he landed and went on to climb Tanaka’s coat, energy still up to 100.

Cham-P shifted in Tanaka’s hands and turned to look up at Shinguji with big and gentle, black eyes. Tanaka laughed deeply like he usually would whenever the hamster’s behavior seemed to change drastically.

“Invading Black Dragon Cham-P seems to have another destination in mind!” That would be Tanaka-language, meaning that Cham-P wanted Shinguji to hold him instead. Tanaka-language was something Shinguji had to learn while becoming friends with Tanaka for the first time. Alas, now Shinguji knew Tanaka, and his way of talking, like he knew the back of his hand.

“I’m afraid I don’t know how to hold an animal. I specialize in the history of humanity, not the history of hamster holding, Tanaka-san”, Shinguji told the dark haired boy in front of him, who only let out a loud “HAH!” as a response. Shinguji honestly had no idea how Jum-P was able to sleep when his owner was Tanaka Gundham, of all people.

“Fret not, mortal, for I, Tanaka the Forbidden One, shall enlighten you!” Tanaka carefully set down the fat hamster in the grass between the two and took a steady grip of Shinguji’s wrists, pulling them towards him. The action making the two boys closer to each other. Shinguji was surprised by the sudden contact and, almost by reflex, was about to pull his arms out of Tanaka’s grip but as quickly as he had grabbed Shinguji’s wrists, the quicker he let them go.

“Put your hands like this”, Tanaka demonstrated by cupping his bandaged hands in front of them. Shinguji mimicked the action, to which Tanaka grabbed the fat hamster, who didn’t seem to have moved much while in the grass, and delicately and slowly placed Cham-P in Shinguji’s cupped hands. The slow movements were very much appreciated by the anthropologist. It made him get used to the feeling of contact, little by little. 

Though Tanaka’s hands were in bandages, he was still able to feel how they brushed against Shinguji’s hands as Cham-P settled down. The hamster shifted a little in Shinguji’s palms before he put his head down and looked to be extremely comfortable at his new resting destination.

Shinguji looked at the creature in his hands and felt himself smile maniacally at the sight. He was very delighted to be wearing a mask at that point. 

He looked at Tanaka, who also seemed to gaze upon the small creature. As Shinguji looked closer at the boy in front of him, he managed to see a small smile form on his lips and how his, usually stern, eyes had softened at the sight. Shinguji concluded that, as Tanaka saw his boyfriend and a creature he cared deeply about together, then it must’ve been a wonderful sight for him to encounter. A once in a lifetime experience that'd probably be stuck in his memory for the time being. How such a minor occurrence could shift Tanaka’s mood was what Shinguji loved the most about the other.

Tanaka looked up at Shinguji and their eyes met for a brief moment. Tanaka’s face quickly turned a pinkish-red color and as his eyes widened, he hysterically turned them away from the one in front of him. Shinguji only snickered his usual cackle at Tanaka’s embarrassment until it fell into a comfortable silence amongst the two. The only sound being the wind flying past them and the rustle from the oak tree they sat by as the leaves fell upon them. 

One, big, leaf fell on top of Cham-P, covering his entire body. The hamster did not seem to mind the leaf on him when Tanaka removed it swiftly. Cham-P was the calmest he’d ever been in that moment, placed in his owner’s lover’s hands while all of the attention was directed on him. What more could you possibly ask for? Well, definitely not having a baby bird falling on top of you.

That’s… quite literally what happened. A small baby bird, falling from above, fell right on top of the fat hamster and bounced upwards. If it wasn’t for Tanaka’s reflexes, then the baby bird would’ve dropped to the grass and possibly gotten tremendously hurt.

Tanaka looked up towards the sky as the baby bird chirped in his palm, almost like it was freaking out. “It seems as though the heavens have bethrouted me a bewinged beast! Falling graciously from the sky as if it were just calling my name!”

“Or it just fell from that bird nest placed on one of the branches”, Shinguji replied as Tanaka tried to calm down the bird by carefully stroking its feathers. Tanaka looked at Shinguji as he did so, a little pinkish-red color still present on his face.

“T-That’s what I said!” he exclaimed as he looked up at the oak. Precisely what Shinguji said, a bird nest situated itself on one of the many branches in the tree. A larger bird, which seemed to be the mother, was chirping hysterically after her lost baby. “This calls upon a quest for Tanaka the Forbidden One! Help the bewinged beast back to its motherland!”

“And how are you gonna do that?” Shinguji asked with a monotone voice, not exactly sure on how Tanaka could possibly get up there without a ladder of some sort.

“I shall use the dark powers I have treasured in the flames of the Pandemonium!” Tanaka stood up, pretty much in slow motion, just so the small bird wouldn’t begin to freak out again. It seemed to have calmed down a little by that. Tanaka surely was a genius when it came to animals and how to take care of them.

“Tanaka-san, there’s really no way for you to get up there without using some sort of equipment”, Shinguji told the other as he stood up and carefully placed Cham-P on Tanaka’s shoulder instead. 

“Do not say such nonsense blabber!” Tanaka told Shinguji and looked at him with a stern look on his face. “Those branches are thick enough to hold up a being like me!”

“I’m not too sure… you might hurt yourself”, ever since Shinguji became friends with Tanaka, it’s almost been as if Shinguji was his caretaker. He always had to take care of the other just so he didn’t do anything that could possibly hurt them.

“Do not worry, my Monarch of Darkness”, Tanaka leaned in closer to Shinguji and placed a light kiss on his cheek, right above the end of his mask. “I have fought and tamed many bewinged beasts for my own survival for centuries. I can take care of this!”

Shinguji sighed, feeling immensely lucky that the mask he wore covered his, now flustered, cheeks. He looked over at Tanaka who had walked up to the tree and investigated it, inaudibly talking to his hamsters in the process. Almost as if he was telling them about his plan.

“Fine then...” Shinguji said and walked up to the other boy, who seemed to have found a low branch that he could possibly climb on. “If you hurt yourself, I’m not gonna tell you 'I told you so.’”

Tanaka rolled his eyes at his partner who only snickered at the sight. He set down his hamsters on the ground and Maga-Z, almost instantly, went to climb up Shinguji’s leg as the other ones just sat by his feet. 

Tanaka placed the tiny bird on the inside of his scarf. It seemed to like the warmth, for it chirped a little before Tanaka could feel it sink into the scarf more and more. He placed a foot on the low branch closest to the ground and took a steady grip of a higher branch. He yanked himself upwards before stepping on another branch. This process went on for a few minutes before he was finally next to the bird nest, highest up in the tree. Shinguji exhaled a breath of relief, relieved his boyfriend didn’t fall.

“There you go, my bewinged beast”, Tanaka said as he put down the small bird next to its mother and siblings in the bird nest. The larger bird chirped happily as it looked at Tanaka, almost as if it were saying ‘Thank you.’ Tanaka bowed his head as a way of gratitude for the bird’s thanks.

Tanaka then laughed like he usually would and Shinguji could tell that it was because of his quest succeeding.

“Be careful!” Shinguji yelled up to the other boy on the oak tree. “I don’t want you to fall!”

“You fiend!” Tanaka yelled back at the one on the ground. His voice sounded as if he was superior to anyone else. “You really think I, Tanaka the forbidden one, is gonna fall… from… t-this height!?”

Something was wrong.

“Tanaka-san?”

“W-WHAT?” His voice was breaking.

“Are you okay?” Shinguji asked as he walked closer to the tree.

As Shinguji looked upwards, he could see that Tanaka had pressed himself up against the tree trunk. A panicked look spread across his face as he looked down on the ground where Shinguji stood.

“Are you afraid of heights?” Shinguji asked, to which Tanaka became a stuttering mess as he tried to keep his composure.

“W-WHAT A... H-HALF-WITTED A-A-ASSUMPTION YOU’RE MAKING, MORTAL”, Tanaka yelled back at the one on the ground.

Shinguji snickered, ”So you are.”

”N-NO, I’M NOT!

”For a demon you are eerily similar to a human, Tanaka-san. It’s entirely understandable that you’d be afraid of things such as height.”

”D-DO NOT COMPARE ME TO SOMEONE AS A MERE EARTHLING!” Tanaka yelled, before closing his eyes and letting out a silent and panicked ’Dear god.’ 

”Do you need help?” Shinguji asked, a bad feeling inside his stomach beginning to form as he watched Tanaka. ”Do you want me to come up there?”

”I- I CAN PERFECTLY GET D-DOWN ON MY OWN, T-THANKS!”

A few seconds passed. Tanaka kept himself pressed up against the tree trunk, feeling the panic course through him. Shinguji waited.

”You’re not gonna climb down, are you?”

”I’M PREPARING MYSELF!”

Another few seconds passed and at this point, Shinguji was concerned that Tanaka would turn out to live in the tree instead of climbing down. So he did the only logical thing any person would do.

”Jump”, he said.

”A-ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?”

That wasn’t exactly the reaction Shinguji expected from Tanaka, but he could sort of understand why he’d say that.

”The ground is covered by grass, therefore making it a soft surface. If you’re lucky you might make it with only a few bruises.”

”I THOUGHT YOU SAID THAT YOU DIDN’T WANT ME TO GET HURT?.”

”...”

”SH-SHINGUJI-SAN?”

”Then I’ll catch you”, the words left Shinguji’s mouth like they meant nothing. Like that was a totally acceptable thing to just blurt out.

”C-Catch me?” somehow the words made Tanaka stop with his yelling, only a slight stutter present in his voice.

”Yes, you can jump and I will be there so you don’t hit the ground”, as Shinguji continued speaking, Tanaka’s cheeks seemed to continue getting redder and redder. ”It’s not that tall of a tree either. So, I believe I can easily catch you.”

”T-That’s… not safe… if you touch me... your whole body will decompose and wither away!” Tanaka seemed to try his hardest to not break his usual persona. 

Shinguji didn’t blame him, yet he sighed, ”You hold my hand from time to time.”

”Y-You wear protection against the poison!” Tanaka yelled back, referring to Shinguji’s bandaged hands.

”You’ve touched Sonia-san’s skin before though.”

”She’s from my own tribe! Obviously she’s capable of withstanding the poison!”

”I’m not, yet you can kiss my cheek?”

”I-I’ve… put a p-protection spell on you! Yes, a protection spell!” Tanaka felt his face begin to burn up as he remembered that he actually did kiss Shinguji’s cheek only a few minutes ago.

Shinguji sighed and crossed his arms over his chest, ”Then throw down your jacket if you’re so persistent. I’ll show you that it’s safe for you to jump by catching it.”

Tanaka was hesitant at first, but in the end he obliged. He carefully took off his jacket as he held a hand on the oak tree trunk so as to not fall. With one shaky hand he threw the jacket for Shinguji to catch. The wind somehow caught hold of it, which made it fall very slowly but in the end Shinguji managed to catch it with both of his hands.

”I told you, yes?” Shinguji said as he held up the jacket for Tanaka to see that he was holding it. Somehow it appeared to have made Tanaka ease up. The tense look in his eyes seemed to soften.

“A-Are you sure?” he asked the other one, still persistent but wouldn’t lie when he said that he felt a little safer.

“Why, yes”, Shinguji folded Tanaka’s jacket and placed it neatly on the ground as he spoke. The Four Heavenly Kings of Darkness and Gods of Destruction went up to the jacket and laid down, waiting for their owner.

“You promise to catch me?”

“I promise, but if I happen to not catch you, I’m allowing you to put a curse on me”, Shinguji snickered, although it wasn’t really the time for jokes.

Tanaka mentally slapped himself as he looked down at the ground. It wasn’t actually that far down to the ground, although because of Tanaka’s tall height it seemed to be further than it actually was. Shinguji was patient and waited until his lover was ready to jump. He didn’t let his eyes avert anywhere away from the one up in the oak, in case he’d miss Tanaka jumping.

With a deep sigh, Tanaka took a step forward and let his body fall off the tree. He closed his eyes and as he thought it was the end for him, he felt a pair of arms wrap themselves around him. One that held him up by his torso while the other held him up by his legs.

He slowly opened his eyes and was met with a pair of yellow orbs that belonged to Shinguji. He had a soft look in his eyes which was enough for Tanaka to feel his cheeks beginning to heat up. Shinguji couldn’t help letting out his usual cackle at the sight.

“I told you I would catch you”, Shinguji said and adjusted his grip of the boy in his arms. That made Tanaka hesitantly wrap his arms around the other’s neck so as to not fall from the sudden movements. Faces drifting closer because of that.

Squeaks from Tanaka’s hamsters were what made the two finally break their eye contact. They were met by the four hamsters trying to mimic exactly what they were doing. Maga-Z, who was the one that mimicked Tanaka, jumped off Cham-P, who resembled the oak tree, and had San-D, who was the one that impersonated Shinguji, catch him in her arms. Some more squeaks left the hamsters mouths repeatedly, as to resemble laughter.

That was enough to make Tanaka lose his composure and his act all together, mask slipping. His face redder than a tomato, he buried his face into Shinguji’s neck and he could hear the snicker escaping the anthropologist’s mouth as he did so.

“You fiend…” Shinguji felt Tanaka murmur into his neck.

“It’s alright, dear”, Shinguji said and leaned his head against the other boy in his arms. He could feel Tanaka tense up by that action. “I’m never going to let you fall, not for as long as you’re mine.”

**Author's Note:**

> This was an entry for a contest on Instagram.


End file.
